In 2010, P&G implemented our Big Vision process, grounded in Opportunity Thinking, and deployed it across the entire company. Over a short period of time, we led the process in almost all their core businesses. In Baby Care, the process led to the formation of a for-profit/not-for-profit business model that resulted in what would become their largest channel in Africa.

Challenge

P&G wanted to grow sales of baby care
products in Africa, but they faced a unique set of challenges.

First, their premium brand, Pampers, held a vast majority of market share in developed nations. This immense center of gravity made choosing opportunities in adjacent areas, like relatively low-profit products / offerings in Africa, a particularly difficult sell.

Second, mothers in emerging markets generally could not afford P&G products. Kimberly Clark had already beat them to China with a low-cost diaper and Colgate had entered Central and South America with a sachet model – selling smaller, more affordable quantities of personal care products.

They did not want to be beaten to Africa but
could see no potential market in a continent where clean water itself was the
biggest personal care need.

Our Approach

P&G Baby Care engaged NewEdge to stretch
thinking around how Pampers could play a role in addressing basic life needs in
Africa.

We began by mapping trends against the business to form a targeted view of the future. As we worked through the trends, many seemed vaguely familiar but simply not powerful enough to motivate action.

Ecosystem members, from water NGOs to African family care experts, were brought in to expand on the urgency and impact of trends.

Outcome

A new business model was conceived that
leveraged P&G’s PuR brand to purify and sell clean water, along with
personal hygiene and baby care products.

Partnering with non-profit partners active
in-market, P&G brought the business model to life, enabling the
organization to sell more diapers in Africa than any other channel.